Short answer. Individuals and co-partnerships file with the county clerk. Corporations, LLCs and limited partnerships file a Certificate of Assumed Name with the state (LARA's Corporations Division). County certificates authorize the name for five years, and a renewal filed before expiration adds five more (Michigan Act 101 of 1907, section 1a).
At a glance
- Called
- assumed name
- Where to file
- Depends on the owner
- Filing fee
- County clerk: $16 in Wayne County, $10 in Macomb County. At the state, an LLC's certificate of assumed name is $25 (Michigan LLC Act fee, 2012 House Bill 5820); the corporation and LP fee wasn't confirmed.
- Local fees vary
- Yes
- How long it lasts
- Individuals: 5 years; entities: 5 years, to december 31
- Online filing
- Some county clerks take applications online (Macomb County, with notarization by appointment); Wayne County is mail-in only.
Individuals and companies file in different places
Individuals and co-partnerships file with the county clerk. Corporations, LLCs and limited partnerships file a Certificate of Assumed Name with the state (LARA's Corporations Division).
Renewal, with dates
County certificates authorize the name for five years, and a renewal filed before expiration adds five more (Michigan Act 101 of 1907, section 1a). State filings expire on December 31 of the fifth full calendar year after the year filed.
For a registration filed on Sunday, November 22, 2026:
- Sole proprietor or partnership: expires Saturday, November 22, 2031
- LLC or corporation: expires Wednesday, December 31, 2031
Your own date: open the calculator set to Michigan.
Not stated on the pages we read: a newspaper notice.
Official sources
- Wayne County Clerk: Assumed names (checked November 2026)
- Michigan LARA form 541: Certificate of assumed name (checked November 2026)
- Michigan House Bill 5820 (2012), as passed (checked November 2026)
- Macomb County Clerk: Register, renew or dissolve an assumed name (checked November 2026)
- Michigan Act 101 of 1907: Assumed names (checked November 2026)
General information, not legal advice; we are not lawyers. Checked November 2026 against the pages above. Fees and forms change, and a county or town office can add its own steps, so confirm with the filing office before you file. We don't file DBAs or trade names for anyone.
Questions people ask
Where is a DBA filed in Michigan?
It's called a assumed name. Individuals and co-partnerships file with the county clerk. Corporations, LLCs and limited partnerships file a Certificate of Assumed Name with the state (LARA's Corporations Division).
What does it cost to register a business name in Michigan?
County clerk: $16 in Wayne County, $10 in Macomb County. At the state, an LLC's certificate of assumed name is $25 (Michigan LLC Act fee, 2012 House Bill 5820); the corporation and LP fee wasn't confirmed. Local fees differ from one office to the next.
How long does a Michigan assumed name last?
County certificates authorize the name for five years, and a renewal filed before expiration adds five more (Michigan Act 101 of 1907, section 1a). State filings expire on December 31 of the fifth full calendar year after the year filed.
Can the filing be done online in Michigan?
Some county clerks take applications online (Macomb County, with notarization by appointment); Wayne County is mail-in only.
All states: DBA registration by state · Illinois · Minnesota